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Are you looking for the right music production software to create music to accompany a commercial, DJ an event, or become a viral hit? Rest assured: Numerous music-making software options are available to suit everyone, from aspiring musicians to professional audio engineers. What sets the best apart is their complexity, flexibility, and usability.
If you’re ready to start using music mixing software but are unsure which tool will best meet your needs, we’re here to help you sort through several options.
Conveniently, many of the options discussed have extended free trials that offer access to full software versions. Explore some of the best music production software choices available today.
Top 3 music production software tools
We selected our top three digital audio workstations (DAW) based on their reputation, feature sets, and usability. All three music production tools can produce professional-quality audio. While they are great choices, some nuances might make one of these industry-leading DAWs a better choice for you.
1. Avid Pro Tools (macOS, Windows)
Avid Pro Tools is the industry-standard music production software. According to Avid, more artists, music producers, and studios use Pro Tools than any other digital audio workspace on the market.
Software preferences often change, but we do know that Pro Tools was the DAW for some classic albums, including Garbage’s self-titled album (1995), Massive Attack’s “Mezzanine” (1998), and Radiohead’s “Kid A” (2000).
Avid Pro Tools offers users everything they need to create beats, record instruments and vocals, mix and edit tracks, and compose music. It outputs studio-quality music that you can share for digital streaming (compatible with Apple Music, Spotify, TIDAL, Deezer, TikTok, and Amazon Music) or any professional music or audio application. The advanced version (Flex) offers workflows for high-end music production.
Pro Tools features the proprietary Avid Audio Engine for faster processing capabilities that minimize freezing and lag. Pro Tools also has a Grammy-winning DAW tool set and plenty of available plug-ins that are good enough to satisfy some of the world’s best songwriters, beat makers, and sound engineers.
Avid Pro Tools is a good choice for both music production companies and home studios.
Features:
- Virtual instrumentation options (piano, drums, orchestra, retro, and more)
- Cloud collaboration capability
- Pitch tweaking with Elastic Audio
- Music distribution and release options
- Tiered feature sets for novices, artists, or large-scale production
- Tutorials available
Pricing: $9.99 to $99.99 per month, with free trial available
2. Apple Logic Pro (macOS)
Apple Logic Pro pushes the sound barriers with integrated Dolby Atmos tools. Your audio mixes can include 3D sound experiences, which you can easily add to Apple Music.
Logic Pro gives users a spatial audio authoring workflow that elevates the sound experience for the listener, particularly those using Apple AirPod Pros with a binaural renderer. These headphones provide a more accurate preview of spatial audio playback on Apple Music. The music production software also allows users to record, edit, and manipulate MIDI performances.
Mac users will find the audio interface familiar and easy to navigate, even with its robust capabilities. The software includes an expanded surround mixer and 3D object planner, sound packs, live loops, and a beat sequencer. There’s also an extensive sound library with a broad collection of instruments, loops, and samples. Logic Pro is effectively a high-powered DAW for a middle-of-the-road price.
If you’re on a budget or just looking to get your feet wet in sound production, you can use any Mac desktop or OS device to experiment with Apple’s GarageBand, a free DAW.
Features:
- Large stock audio library with instruments, loops, and samples
- Special audio for creating 3D sound
- Free plug-in options
- Logic remote turns macOS devices into controllers
- User-friendly interface
Pricing: $199.99 (90-day free trial)
3. Ableton Live (macOS, Windows)
Ableton Live is the music production tool of choice for many aspiring hip-hop, techno, and EDM artists and DJs. Use it as a traditional linear arrangement workstation or as a dashboard for mix-on-the-fly live performances.
In the conventional workstation mode, users can organize their compositions on a timeline, take multiple passes of an audio or MIDI recording, and put the best bits of each together for a cohesive and perfected final track.
As the name implies, Live’s session view helps DJs or sound engineers mix free-flowing live performances with real-time sync. Features like automatic beat-matching and cross-fading are among the reasons this is a popular tool with professional DJs.
Ableton Live comes with a generous collection of loops, sounds, kits, effects, and instrument options. Ableton has also developed partnerships with gear manufacturers to improve usability, using gear partner user interfaces for easier pairing.
Features:
- Up to 17 software instruments
- Up to 60 audio effects (reverb, spectral resonator, etc.)
- Up to 16 MIDI effects
- Up to 5,000+ built-in sound options
- Instant mapping connects functionality to keyboards or external controller
- Strong support, including online tutorials
Pricing: $99 to $749 (90-day free trial)
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Other common music production software
Our top three are all stellar music production software choices, but they are certainly not the only options. Consider a few additional choices with a lot to offer, like loaded plug-in options or mobile app compatibility.
- FL Studio
- Cockos Reaper
- Reason
- Bitwig Studio
FL Studio (macOS, iOS, Windows, Android, Chrome OS)
FL Studio is a great DAW for beginners. Some of the world’s top DJs and producers (Avicii, deadmau5, Afrojack, to name a few) started their music-making journey making beats with a trial version of this DAW’s predecessor, known as Fruity Loops.
FL Studio includes the standard features you would expect, including audio recording, audio editors, instruments and effects, MIDI support and scripting, and pre-loaded content like samples, loops, and presets. The software purchase also comes with free lifetime updates.
Choose from versions of FL Studio for both desktop operating systems and mobile devices (iPad, iPhone, Android, Chrome OS). The software also includes significant support like online tutorials and a community forum.
Features:
- Lifetime free updates
- Works for desktop and mobile devices
- Export to WAV, MP3 or AAC, FLAC, and MIDI
- Per-track mute, solo, effect bus, pan, and volume adjustment
- Configurable virtual piano-keyboard and drum pads
- Extra plug-ins, synths, and effects available for purchase
Pricing: $99 to $499 (free trial of limited version)
Cockos Reaper (macOS, Windows)
Cockos Reaper is an advanced DAW that can produce broadcast-quality digital audio for any use—commercial, education, sound design, game development, and more.
Reaper is a bit more stripped down feature-wise than some other DAW options. Still, it includes the most critical components in an intuitive and user-friendly interface with drag-and-drop capability. The tool lets you drag and drop effects, easily map MIDI controllers, and cut, paste, and split individual tracks.
Reapers is open-source software and has a helpful surrounding community for finding code, tutorial videos, and an active forum.
Features:
- Customizable plug-ins
- Recommended for professionals
- Support for third-party plug-in effects and virtual instruments, including VST, VST3, LV2, AU, DX, and JS
- Drag and drop to import, arrange, and render
- Automation, modulation, grouping, VCA, surround, macros, OSC, scripting, control surfaces, custom skins, and layouts
Pricing: $60 for individual use license or $225 for commercial license (60-day free trial)
Reason (macOS, Windows)
Reason Studios is widely known for its audio plug-in and effects services, but its DAW is actually a solid tool for music creation as well. Offering both live recording and electronic music functionality, it’s a good choice for a multi-purpose music production tool.
Reason’s DAW features sequencing, recording, mixing, audio editing, sampling, and drag-and-drop control. Reason’s sequencer also includes the ReGroove Groove Mixer that can help your digital music feel more human and less robotic.
Reason’s mixer capabilities include full dynamics, EQ (equalization), advanced effects handling, full automation, groups and parallel channels, and a master-bus compression. You can also correct and control pitch, time, and articulations in your vocal recordings with Reason’s Pitch Edit.
Features:
- Large library of instruments
- Ready-made samples
- Weekly “sound packs” for regularly updated samples
- 75+ instruments
Pricing: $399 (lite version) or $499 (full version); (30-day free trial)
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Bitwig Studio (macOS, Windows, Linux)
Bitwig Studio is a full-featured DAW for high-quality audio production. The latest version offers over 90 instrument options, audio and note FX, signal routers, and container devices that help bring auditory dreams to life.
Bitwig Studio includes a micro-pitch FX device that lets you do more with pitch and re-tuning (e.g., transform scales, fine-tune individual notes, shrink or expand octaves), which leaves a lot of space for creative audio.
Bitwig Studio also includes a drum machine, arpeggiator (with full MPE support), four-oscillator synthesizer, sampler, and instruments and effects to compose with. The DAW has VST plug-ins with 32/64-bit bridging, delay compensation, and crash protection for added stability in use.
Features:
- AI assistance
- Scalable vector-based GUI
- Linear and non-linear workflows for sound design, recording, live performance, and beyond
- A complete package with 90+ instruments, effects, and other creative tools
- Modular structure and flexibility in all aspects of the software
- 10 GB+ sound content available from selected partners
Pricing: $99 (16-track) or $399 (Studio); (30-day free trial)
What to consider when choosing music production software
With so many high-powered DAWs available, you really can’t make a bad choice. But some tangible differences between top music-maker software programs might make one a better match for your specific needs.
Budget
While the price tag for a professional DAW may seem high, one positive is that the majority are available for a one-time payment. Additionally, most options come with at least a 30-day trial period, which gives you a free opportunity to dig in and test out their wares with enough time to actually create from the trial.
You can also peruse the training videos and tutorials to get some advanced insight, a preview of the user interface, and a head start before the trial. We suggest waiting to download the free trial until you’re certain you’ll have the time to do a deep dive.
Level of expertise
One of the most important questions to ask before choosing a DAW is what you intend to do with it. Creating complex compositions or DJing for large audiences requires a high level of technical expertise, so a DAW with expanded features will be necessary to get the sound you’re seeking.
If your needs are a bit more basic (like producing studio recordings for a band), you can avoid the steeper learning curves for sound effects, virtual instrumentation, etc.
If you’re entirely new to music production, you may even want to consider hiring a music producer to help you cut that first track.
Production goals
You can use digital music production software in the recording studio or for live performances. Consider how much you plan to use your DAW for live shows versus recordings.
If you’re planning to DJ or engage in live audience performances, Ableton Live is a popular choice for DJs and EDM performers based on its on-the-fly sync capabilities and broad compatibility with performance hardware and gear.
Operating system
Music production software is available for macOS, Windows, and Linux, but not every software is compatible with all of these systems. Rule out any that aren’t compatible with your setup before getting too attached to one option.
As with any high-powered software, you’ll want to check the full system requirements for each option to ensure your computer has the processing power to do the job.
Whether to contact a music producer
There are many reasons to contact a music producer for a project. First, an experienced music producer can help you take your artistic ideas to the next level.
Music producers can also provide recording tips to improve audio quality, assist with technical issues, and more. Even well-established musicians seek out producers to help them grow professionally.
Music producers can also help manage budgets and organize schedules, allowing artists more time to focus on the creative process.
Get help from top-rated music producers
Making original music is a dream that can now be realized by more people than ever before. Armed with insight into the cost, performance, and features of some of the best DAW software, you’re one step closer to mastering audio production.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the options and some of the more technical aspects of music production, you can always turn to a professional talent platform like Upwork for help.
